Ten always seemed like a perfect number to me,Just like our yearly jewish Christmas tree.Ten would be jumping through the halls between class,The year I fly with my own boarding pass,The year I would finally write a song,the year I would learn to be strong.My mother left her room, Middle of the night,My sister and brother held onto me tight;We didn’t think it was happening,That cancer had won my fathers battling.It was my concert the next day,I was supposed to sing the day away,Just like any other ten year old,Whose biggest fear is just catching a cold.

But no, I learned about grief and sorrowAnd pushing yourself through each tomorrow.I learned that loss never goes away,You will be reminded of it each and every day.I yearned for his touch so gentle,Not-accepting that no other would resembleThese images just pass through my mind,They are so distant yet can rewind -I find my mother’s strength in mine,Pushing through this battle line​And that Was when I realized -Some can fall apart, But at ten I couldn’t do more harm to the heart.So I tried my best to beSomething beyond what was expected of me.

​Again and again I think about Ten,I think about what I had to learn then. I think about sickness, I think about fear,I think about crying until I was lost in my tears.I think about the warmth of a person’s embrace,And then about their longing face -I think about my mother,Who lost her one and only other.

But at the end of all these thoughts I get hit with something beautiful,It touches me so I become immovable;My father’s smile and his happiness,Which resonated through this darkness.This is why you seeHappiness is so important to me.

Now I hate to think of final goodbyes,When we had so much life go byBut,Our last words were: I love you, I will see you soon.

​I now realize that soon has become forever,But in my heart I will always remember.